This Time, Definately
by Sokanou
Summary: The darkspawn remain a threat, even after a decade has past. The Warden, living alone as a hermit in the wilderness for soul searching is once again thrust into battle. Without his comrades, the danger heightens. But, is Amell truly alone?


**This Time, Definitely!**

So I'm going for a Dragon Age: Origins story this time. This is definitely a Mage/Morrigan pairing, and although I'd prefer to use my Mage's name, which was Crimson by the way, I decided to go with Amell to make things easier.

After beating the game like ten times, and getting inspired to play again every time I hear This is War by 30 Seconds to Mars in the credits, I decided that I'd create an ending for my guy and Morrigan… by writing a new adventure for them. Hell yeah.

Anyways, I don't own this game or any of the characters in it. I may throw in an OC or two to move the story along, but that's the norm, right?

* * *

The sunlight broke through the foliage of the trees, scattering and illuminating the outside of a lone cabin located deep within a nameless forest south of the Brecilian Forest.

The light, piercing through his window, shone across his face and bore through his closed eyelids, disturbing his slumber. Rolling to the left, his arm rose to block out the rays as the man yawned and officially awoke.

Slowly dragging his body out of bed, Amell reached out and gripped his staff, forged by himself to be superior to those he had used before. Using it as a cane, the mage grimaced at the thought that he was getting old.

Early thirties wasn't that old, but he still found himself pining for the days of old when he traveled the country with a party of reliable comrades and friends. Of course, it would be favorable that there not be a Blight occurring.

Grooming himself as much as a man who lived alone in the woods cared enough to, Amell slipped on a robe, one he had purchased at a shop called The Wonders of Thedas located in Denerim back in the day.

While it wasn't necessary for him to wear it for protection or the fashion sense, he simply had no other clothes since he had settled so many years ago. How long was it? Eight… That's right.

After the Blight had ended, after striking the final blow, after Alistair's coronation ceremony and wedding to Anora, for political reasons alone, Amell had set out into the world.

Alistair had believed that he sought out Morrigan, the cunning witch who had supposedly stolen his heart and saved his life, and maybe he did. Even the mage himself wasn't sure what he was searching for when he left on his journey.

As much as he wished for the company, his companions had scattered.

Alistair, now King of Ferelden, had plenty of matters he needed to settle, and well… King's just don't get the luxury of going on soul searching adventures.

Wynne, a Senior Enchanter from the Circle in which Amell had been raised, stayed in Denerim by Alistair's side to guide him. Everyone, even Amell himself saw that for the best.

Leliana had returned to her own homeland to seek out her former mentor and settle things once and for all.

Sten had also returned to his people.

Zevran had also wandered off after the ceremony, most likely back to Antiva and the Crows.

The only companion the Warden had was Dog, his loyal war hound that had imprinted upon him after Amell had saved it from darkspawn taint. Dog, already several years old, had died in the time since and currently lay in a grave near the cabin.

Amell's journey took Dog and him far as he made his path through and around Ferelden, taking out any darkspawn he would encounter along the way, although at times not without difficulty. They still ran rampant, even to this day.

For two whole years he had traveled the country, trying to find whatever it was he felt that his life was lacking. It was completely possible that Al was right and Morrigan was that missing piece, in which case he himself acknowledged that he would never feel whole.

Still, after the two years, he had settled with Dog in the forest, built the cabin, and had very little contact. Before he had realized it, eight entire years had gone by and he was a thirty-three year old man. And yet, he was… content.

The life wasn't as bad as he may once have believed if one were to tell him of this situation years ago. No contact with the outside world did make things difficult at first, but Amell soon adjusted.

He indeed missed his friends and companions, wondering how each had changed throughout the years. Contemplating on each, he felt the urge to leave his dwelling and reconnect with, at the very least Alistair.

So long had he been alone that the mage was surprised that he didn't resemble the loony old hermit that he had once encountered in the Brecilian Forest.

Stifling his laughter at self-imagery of what it would seem, his thoughts quickly broke as he heard the snapping of twigs and movement nearby. There were wolves nearby, but the sound told him it was not them.

Gripping his staff firmly, Amell channeled his mana inward to fortify his strength, a trick that made him an Arcane Warrior. He prepared himself in response to the bad feeling he was receiving when several figures burst through the brush.

"Mithra?" Amell spoke, immediately recognizing the elf leading two others.

"Y-You! You're the Grey Warden! Why are you-… What are you doing out here?" Mithra's speech was erratic. Something had been chasing her and from the sounds coming from behind them, the Warden was about to find out what.

"Get down!"

Amell shot a bolt of lightning from his staff as the three elves ducked and fried the darkspawn that had appeared.

His eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment before releasing several magic blasts at the foul creatures that followed the initial. The elves, their morale slightly raised by his presence, immediately began to viciously strike out.

Within moments, his "yard" was littered with the corpses of the demons he had long since thought himself rid of.

"Mithra, what is the meaning of this? Have the darkspawn not retreated into the Deep Roads yet?"

Amell found himself disturbed by the surprise that graced her features. It looked as if she had just seen a ghost.

"What are-…"

She was interrupted as sounds not too far off erupted from the forest, prompting her to swear loudly.

"There is a much larger group that is following. It would be for the best if you were to grab some things and come."

An explosion screeched through the area.

"Now!"

Nodding in agreement, Amell felt a flood of emotions rush through him as if a dam had just shattered.

Was he about to leave his home for the past eight years?

Why were the darkspawn, who were supposed to have retreated into the Earth, roaming around and in such great numbers as to frighten the Dalish this much?

Pushing aside those mental questions, the mage rushed into his cabin, gathering the few items had kept from his journey, including his wallet which housed the remainder of the "war fund" his party had collected ten years ago, a total of one-hundred fifteen sovereign.

Exiting his cabin for what he feared was the last time, his eyes glanced to Dog's grave as he made swore to his former companion that he'd return soon.

The trees rushed by as he struggled to keep up with the Dalish Elves he followed. The Grey Warden found himself ashamed that, while he had continuously practiced his magic and was in top form, he didn't train much in the physical department.

Hanging his head low in embarrassment, Amell channeled his magic to create the strength and speed he would need to keep up. His body glowing brightly as the mana coursed through it, the mage could have sworn he had seen Mithra laugh at him as she glanced back.

The trip was a short one. Well, short in compared to some of the trips he had taken. It had only taken an hour of running, shaming himself further as he ran out of mana and had to rest along the way, until they arrived at the camp where Keeper Lanaya greeted him.

"It fills my heart with joy to see you once again, my friend." Her joy, he noticed, was easily outshined by the worry in her voice. Whatever had the Dalish so freaked worried him deeply.

"Yes, it is a pleasure to see you again as well, Keeper Lanaya, although I wish I knew what the maker was going on." The same look that Mithra had shown him earlier had appeared on Lanaya's face.

It seems whatever he had missed while playing in the woods had been big, something he had no doubt of.

"What do you mean? How can you be unaware?" The Keeper had barely kept herself from stuttering.

"We had found him living in a hut within the forest south of here, Keeper." Mithra was quick to the answer, as if the question was directed at her.

"I've been living alone in isolation for the past few years, why? What's happened, Lanaya?" The urgency of the situation was beginning to irk the Warden. He needed to find out what was going on and now!

"I see… But shouldn't you know? The Grey Wardens are supposed to have a spiritual connection with the darkspawn, are they not?"

A good question. Even he had no answer. There had not been a single dream involving the darkspawn, nor could he sense them since-…

"Damn!" His sudden outburst startled the elves that were gathered.

"It's true the Grey Wardens and darkspawn are connected, but that is due to the taint located within the Wardens. It had completely slipped my mind, but the night before the final battle with the Arch Demon, I had performed a ritual that's side effect removed the taint from my body! I never thought that it would affect my abilities as such…"

It was times like this that he regretted the ultimatums he had been given the most. Saving his own ass at the time had screwed him over for the future. But who could have predicted the darkspawn would still be around?

"I see. That does post a problem… but Warden, we Dalish, and even many of the humans are under the belief that there may be another Blight on the horizon."

Lanaya's revelation burned like a hot iron as he mulled over the possibility of another Blight. Although without the required taint, Amell was still technically a Grey Warden. Was there going to be some other bullshit adventure across the world?

"Son of a-…"


End file.
